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Robocall scams have reached unprecedented peaks during the Covid-19 pandemic. These illegal calls placed by scammers are extremely popular worldwide. In the U.S., there were almost 2.5 billion phony robocalls set up by scammers in March this year alone. If you believe you’ve been targeted by scammers via robocalls, it’s time to apply safety measures. So, let’s learn how to steer clear of robocall scams.
What Are Robocalls and How Do They Work?
Robocalls are exactly what their name suggests. In other words, calls made by robots, not real people. Many legitimate companies use these types of calls for various purposes. For example, they can send notifications related to booked appointments or purchased items via robocalls. However, more than often, these calls are also used for marketing purposes.
This is not a problem if you gave your consent to receive such calls. Yet, if you’re bombarded by unwanted marketing robocalls from companies that didn’t receive your consent, you’re entitled to act. You can contact the company directly and ask them to immediately remove you from their marketing list.
Prerecorded messages you get from different companies can be useful or a bit annoying. But what happens if they are placed by ill-intentioned people who want to steal your money or data?
Robocall Scams – The Essence
Phony robocalls can quite easily mingle with real ones. If you regularly receive such calls from different companies, you might not even stop and question their validity. However, it’s useful to exercise caution at all times. Even more so, do it when you decide to take action based on the message you receive.
If a recorded message promises a great discount, don’t rush to make a wire transfer to get that product. Scammers often create a sense of emergency when they try to trick people. Therefore, they may claim that the offer is about to expire soon. They might also say you’re among the few lucky customers who can benefit from it.
Strategies like these are well-known among marketers. Nonetheless, scammers only leverage them to their benefit. If a robocall message sounds tempting, try to get more information on the company it comes from. Online, you should be able to find out more about it and its offering.
Robocalls and Debt Claims
Furthermore, note that robocall scams don’t revolve solely around marketing offers. Sometimes scammers send automated messages claiming you owe money. They also tell you what you need to do to cover your debt. Always be wary of such calls and don’t rush to send money to the specified address. If you really owe money to a company for services or goods, contact them directly to settle your debt.
Moreover, be extra cautious if the caller claims they represent an institution. The IRS, for example, has been impersonated countless times over the past years. Many taxpayers sent money to the wrong people believing they tackled their IRS debts. However, they then discovered it was all a scam.
The IRS and other institutions don’t normally contact consumers via robocalls or phone messages. Instead, they send officially registered letters.
What Do Scammers Aim to Get?
The first and most straightforward answer is money. In many fake robocalls, scammers try to convince people to transfer money. The reasons may vary. Often, they promise products in exchange or subscriptions for different services. Then, there is also the variant in which they ask for money for an alleged debt.
Secondly, scammers might not be so daring to ask for money over prerecorded messages. In the end, the number of people who send money after listening to a robocall is not very large. However, there is something else they obtain far easier through these calls – personal data.
Scammers who impersonate different companies often ask for names, addresses, bank accounts, or even Social Security Numbers. They usually claim they need the data to carry out some verifications. Again, be very cautious and avoid handing your personal information over the phone to anyone you don’t know.
How to Avoid Robocall Scams
Here are a few basic tips to help you steer clear of phony robocalls:
- Check any offer on the internet before you transfer money as you are told in the message
- Verify the caller, whether it’s a company’s representative or institution
- Before you consent to receive marketing messages from a company, review its privacy policy
- Avoid calls that promise discounts that seem too good to be true
- Be cautious if a company you’ve never heard of tries to convince you to buy their products
- Hang up on any calls that seem too pushy
- Add the numbers you get to the National Do Not Call Registry or a similar one in your country
- Use apps that block unwanted calls
- If you are sure you’ve come across a scam, report it to the authorities
In courtesy of Diamond Shield Management
